NT Government to adopt all recommendations handed down by independent review into senior police recruitment
NT Police union claims 'serious allegations' about senior recruitment remain unresolved despite NT Government's pledge to implement all reforms from independent review. Read the details.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the Northern Territory Government would adopt all six recommendations handed down by an independent review into senior police recruitment.
Her statement on Tuesday came six days after Acting Justice Alan Blow, who presided over the review, handed down his findings and identified “shortcomings” in the panel system.
However, Justice Blow could not find wrongdoing of whether appointment processes were conducted in line with the NT Police recruitment standards and within the terms of the code of conduct and ethics.
The review clears former NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy of any legal wrongdoing and raises questions surrounding the Chief Minister’s decision to fire the Labor-Party appointed top cop.
The government said it would commit to all six reforms to overhaul recruitment and appointments, including enshrining merit as the key criterion, mandating conflict-of-interest declarations and modernising processes for senior police appointments.
Other measures include clear policies on acting appointments, ensuring appointing authorities were separate from selection panels and formalising recruitment guidelines.
Ms Finocchiaro directed Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole APM to implement the recommendations “without delay”, and said the government was “committed” to ensuring public confidence in senior police recruitment.
But the NT Police Association, which the CLP said declined to participate in the inquiry, said the report “has fallen well short of what was expected and anticipated by our members and the wider [NT] community”.
The NTPA said it met with Mr Dole in March, when both parties “expressed their concerns” about the inquiry into senior recruitment and the proposed legislation, the Police Administration Act 1978.
The NTPA said it wrote to the Chief Minister raising “serious concerns” about the “limited powers” granted to Justice Blow.
It advocated for the inquiry to be conducted under the Inquiries Act 1945, which the association said would have provided the “necessary authority” to compel witnesses and properly examine all allegations.
“It is deeply disappointing that this request was ignored,” the statement said.
“As a result, the report contains serious allegations that could not be fully tested or resolved. “Justice Blow himself acknowledged the significant limitations placed upon his inquiry.”
NTPA president Nathan Finn said the inquiry’s restrictions made it “largely ineffective” and a missed opportunity to restore confidence in senior recruitment processes within the NT Police Force.
“This report could have provided much-needed answers to the serious concerns our members hold about high-level recruitment within the force,” he said.
“Instead, those questions remain unanswered.
“Allegations that successful applicants were provided with interview questions in advance are incredibly serious.
“This is exactly the kind of issue that could and should have been properly investigated had Justice Blow been given the powers we called for. The lack of transparency and accountability in this process is incredibly disappointing.
“We know we need to move forward – to begin the process of appointing a new Commissioner and addressing the significant leadership challenges currently facing our organisation.
“The NTPA hopes that the recommendations contained in the report will drive real reform in senior recruitment processes.”
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